Listmania
The other day, over on Nathan’s blog, I got sidetracked on the subject of making lists.
I am a bit OCD about lists. There are so many things that really should have a list, and so many great ways to make them! Of course, because of the subject of this post, I’ll list them for you using that wonderful html [ul] tag.
- Packing lists
- Grocery lists
- Honey-do lists
- Errand lists
- Housekeeping lists
- Ingredient lists
- Blog or fiction idea lists
- Brainstorming lists
- School supply (or clothes) lists
- Lists of instructions, e.g. for a computer upgrade
- Feature lists (e.g. house or car shopping)
- Things to look for in a mate (or date) lists
- …
One of the things I like best about list-making is the opportunity for advanced lists. Why limit yourself to pen and notepad when you have Excel? Outlook tasks? MS Project for the really big things?
With those you can sort, organize by priority, schedule and even, in MS Project, assign resources and costs.
For example, when shopping for a new car, you could just list that you want better than 30mpg, comfortable front and rear seating, a hatchback, good cargo space, fun to drive, and under $20K. You could then use that list in Excel to compare the cars you like, giving higher scores to those that best meet each of the criteria on your list.
Yeah, I’m a little nutty. My husband has threatened to uninstall Excel from my home computer. (Over my dead body!)
Are you a listmaker?
February 18th, 2008
Yes but…
I almost never make future list. All my lists tend to be past lists.
i.e. if I try and write a grocery list, it will be left on the kitchen table.
But I have an database listing all the books we own (not updated in a couple months! BAH!), and XL spreadsheet listing all our DVDs (organized by genre and separated by TV versus movies), I have a spreadsheet that not only counts the number of books I read each month, but also graphs those changes on multiple criteria, including a bar chart per month since 2003, the average number of books read each month, a line chart to compare yearly reading by month, and the total number of books read by year.
When our walking program starts at work, I’ll keep track of the number of miles I walk each day, and chart those numbers over the months of the program.
But planning ahead? I’m not so good at that.
February 18th, 2008
Bah, I just need a secretary I think. LOL!
(and me getting a secretary… as likely as me enjoying listmaking…)
February 18th, 2008
Only a fellow list maker can truly appreciate this post. Yes, I have used all the software mentioned for lists. Do you mean there are people in this world that do not? Oh, the humanity!
February 18th, 2008
Curious minds want to know why a woman with a husband keeps a list of “things to look for in a mate (or date).
February 18th, 2008
Obviously they’re branching out as a couple Nathan! Duh!
February 19th, 2008
I use a Sony Clie, loaded with a piece of JOT software called ‘List Maker’ that allows you to make lists. The program adds a check off box for each item, and depending on how you have the options set – deletes each item as you check it off (you can also so checked items).
I’m not what you’d call OCD about lists, but if I don’t write down what I need from the store – I will forget it the minute I walk in the place. Also I’m big on ‘to do’ lists when I’ve got a lot of things to do or a complex job that I’m organizing.
I love my Clie, it’s like an extension of my brain.
February 19th, 2008
List of things I don’t do:
1. Make lists
February 20th, 2008
Haven’t stopped by in a while – just wanted to say hello!!
And yes, I am a list maker – LOVE the list!! Sometimes I will make a list of house stuff that needs to be done and will put things on that list that can almost done at that moment. Just so I have more things to cross off the list. I think this is one instance that I can call myself a geek.
My name is Tanya and I’m a list maker geek